Barmy Army ready to scrap tour after heavy-handed security treatment

Last updated at 09:03 24 November 2006

The founder of England's high-profile "Barmy Army" cheerleading squad said Friday he was considering scrapping its Australian tour after saying the group was "treated like school children" by Gabba ground security during the first Ashes test.

Paul Burnham said he did not want a repeat of the poor treatment by Gabba security staff, including the banning of their official trumpet player, Billy Cooper, who was ejected from the stadium midway through the first day.

"Absolutely. We are waiting to see how it develops before giving advice to people coming over (from England) for the Sydney and Melbourne tests," Burnham said when asked about the future of the tour.

Burnham was also unhappy at the seat allocation after thousands of Barmy Army supporters were scattered around the Gabba.

He said "an awful lot" of Barmy Army supporters had boycotted the second day's play Friday as a result, opting instead to watch the cricket from their hotel.

"It seems to me that Cricket Australia just want to win, full stop," said Burnham, who came up with the Barmy Army concept during the 1994-95 Ashes tour.

"They believe the Barmy Army will help England win so it just seems everything is geared to try and make sure there is no fun in the game. We just want to come over and have a good time ... not to be treated like school children."

Cricket Australia's Peter Young said English fans were looked after better than Australian supporters were in Britain.

"There were more tickets available for U.K. fans at the Gabba than there were for any ground in the U.K. for Australian fans," he said. "The reality is that Australia has a far more embracing attitude to U.K. fans than England does to Australian fans."

Burnham said it was "surreal" that Cooper was thrown out after claiming the Barmy Army received permission from Cricket Australia in May to use a trumpet player at Australian venues.

"We were told he would be able to play at the ground and he was quite good for stopping the (outlawed) Mexican wave," he said. "We were getting some pretty positive vibes back and then all of a sudden he's been ejected - now the whole thing is ruined."

But Young said no such deal had been struck.

"Musical instruments have been banned from the Gabba for the last 12 years," he said. "We had discussions with them but it doesn't matter how much consultation you have, it's not in our ability to rewrite local law."

Cooper, who plays trumpet for the London Philharmonic Orchestra, was one of 40 people ejected by Gabba security on the first day.